St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1887-07-30
THE DISTANT PAST.

00oo1ppy kocOllecelOn1 showing That Ours
IL Stin Very Young Nation.
I'VE think of the time of Washington
As ages" said an elderly gentleman of
antiquarian tastes, land vet can point
to many illustrations which will sug9 9est
how very near the distant past is to us.
after al. For instance, until within a
few months . law partner of Aaron
Burr was in active practice in this city.
He had an Office in the building that
was torn down to make room for Tenn
pie court, and yet Burr came within a
hairs breadth of being the third Presi-
dent Of the United States. His tie vote
with Jefferson threw the election into
the House. Peter Cooper. who died not
long ago. remembered tho day of
Washington's funeral. Daniel Webster
was born while the revolution was in
progress, and there are many men still
in their prime in New York who have
seen and heard him. and If am not
mistaken both Mr.. Field and Mr.. Evarts
have been engaged in law cases in
i
Gently met . hearty man of business
Just over the line in Connecticut who
was chairman of the local committee
appointed to receive Lafayette when he
made his second visit to this country.
This mans name is John Newman. and
he remembers very well how Lafayette
looked and what he said on that occa-
sion. Henry Clay and John C. Calhoun
were both lads before this Government
was organized. but there is still living
a man who sat in the United States
Senate with them. Irefer to ex-Sen-
atOr Simon Cameron.
"There are receiving pensions to-day
as widows of soldiers of the revolution
seven women, and there were living at
the time Of the civil war five men who
had fought during the revolution.
heard one of them, the Rev. Daniel
Waldo. preach in 1881. Mr.. Poore, the
correspondent. has told me
that he has seen every President since
and had shaken hands and
spoken to every one since Monroe. An
Did friend of mine named Abijah Ressi-
qua, of Ridgefield, who died not long
ago. had voted for every President since
Madison. and he remembered very well
hearing the church-bells toll on the day
of Washington's funeral. There is in
active business now man who was
swo years old when Washington was
irst inaugurated President He is
George L. Perkins. of Norwich, and he
vas man grown when he sailed down
he Hudson on the famous trip that
Robert Fulton once made from and to
Albany with his steamboat. The engi-
leer of the first locomotive that ever
an in the country was living some
months ago. and I think still is.
.'There is now living. and in good
lealth, famous man, who was men,
,er of President Polk's Cabinet forty.
ix years ago. l mean Bancroft. the |
historian. Mr.. Bancroft has met with
cry many men who took part in the
war and conversed With
hem. Very many New Yorkers, not |
ct old men. were well acquainted with |
he son Of Alexander Hamilton, who |
lied not long ago. Yet Alexander
was Washington's aid during
he revolution and his first Secretary OF |
he Treasury. You will see then from
hese illustrations, and I might give
theirs. that we are still . very young
epublic. and that but few years have
assed since the time when all who now
i've might have taken the hands of men
rho had seen Washington and who had
ought under him. Very many men
ow living have. in fact. been able to
njoy this privilege."-M Y. Letter.
"A scientist. after 3 careful analysis
4 L.